Distorted Teacher
by QuantumOdette
Summary: Roxas applies for a job as a math teacher at the new highschool in town, but he has a problem. He's got the face of a beauty which tends to cause him trouble with not only the opposite sex, but regrettably also with fellow masculines. He uses thick reading glasses to appear older and to hide his face, but for how long can he keep up the nerdy disguise without being discovered?
1. The encounter with the clown

**A/N**  
**I think it would be appropriate to warn everyone that this is a BL/ yaoi themed story so if you don't appreciate love between 2 guys, do not bother to read any further. Also I'm planning on slipping a lemon in here somewhere at some point so look out... ;) Not in this chapter or the next but there will be lots of squee and fluffyness~**

**I don 't recommend anyone under 18 reading this, but I liked smutty yaoi since I was more or less a kid myself so who am I to judge... (There, I said it.)**

**And be warned, I have no idea what I'm doing when it comes to using quotation marks and apostrophes... I've been learning english for quite a while now, but I still think my spelling is rather clumsy at times. So I'll have to apologize for any possible mistakes.**

**The story is written from Roxas's POV (I haven't decided yet on whether or not I should write from anybody else's POV in later chapters). **

**Oh, and Roxas's last name is Strife in this story. Because Cloud and resemblance and stuff**** hehe****... **

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN KINGDOM HEARTS OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS. **

Chapter 1:**The encounter with the clown**

Have you ever been so nervous about something in your life that you've tried to put your pants on through one of the legs while dressing up in the morning? You're probably familiar with the experience if you're even the least bit of an airhead. Or have you ever brushed your teeth with soap by mistake? That too could be understandable to some extents if you've got the habits of a scatterbrain.

But chew this. Have you ever, EVER in your whole damn life accidentally fried your phone for breakfast instead of eggs?

No I didn't think so either.

My name is Roxas Strife, twenty-one years old and guess what? I just fried my own phone this morning.

I _fried_. My _phone_. With a _frying pan_.

No kidding.

I don't have the tiniest of an idea how something like that was even possible in the first place! After first putting my pants on incorrectly through one leg resulting in a very painful face-flooring, and additionally after brushing my teeth with lavender hand soap I still failed humanity and had to go and _freaking fry _my own phone.

Honestly, I'm usually never this absent minded, I'm actually a pretty sharp person even if I say so myself. Sure, today is a special day and I was, and still am feeling nervous but come on... People don't fry their phones no matter what. I'd understand if it was only the first two mishaps, but the phone...

It almost had me crying, the phone was one of the only things that I can't live without and now it's gone. And the worst part is that I didn't even notice that something was wrong until it more or less exploded in the frying pan.

Maybe I should see a doctor...

No. I've had enough of doctors. The past two years I've probably been to more doctors than the average person in his whole life. No, I'll just have to pull myself together. I have a job interview soon and I can't afford screwing up. The phone is always replacable, I'll go purchase a new one as soon as I have time.

I put away all thoughts about my phone and after some intense mental preparing I finally manage to muster up the strength to step out of the car. I inhale deeply through my nose and exhale with my mouth slapping my cheeks lightly to rearrange my head. I check my watch and see it's only nine thirty, which means it's another thirty minutes until showdown.

Locking up I take my time to appreciate my surroundings a bit. It was as usual another ridiculously beautiful morning at the shores of Cornerstone bay. The sky was unoriginally blue like in the fairy tales and the seabirds had started their chirp morning songs. Downhill a scenery of a small port and behind it a neverending coastline of the ocean was displayed before me. A light summer breeze tickled my face and I could smell the scent of skerry vegetation.

This is pretty much as beautiful as these shores get... Or well, not counting the sunsets because those are quite the killer sight around here. Despite that, I doubt that any previous moment here this summer has been this pretty, which is good because a beautiful day always gives me extra courage and determination.

Having had enough of the scenery I turn around and take a good look at the enormous, white highschool that I'll be working in when the summer ends, if all goes well. I can't help but get a little nauseaous while trying to view the whole building without stepping back a few steps.

The building looked like it was glowing with the sun shining on it nearly straight from above, and the black corners and decorative floral details made it look almost royal. It's a relatively new school that came about a few years ago when I was still just a student myself. Cornerstone bay Secondary High is what it's called. Quite unoriginal yes, being named directly after the location and all but the school's considered the best of the best so I guess it doesn't really matter.

As you may have figured out by now, I'm a teacher. A math teacher at that too. It's not that I like math in particular or anything, it's just always been the easiest and most natural subject for me. And I'm not really good at anything else besides solving mathematical problems.

I'm looking for a job in hopes of a new life here at the countryside so I sent an application to Cornerstone bay Secondary's employment manager and clerk at the beginning of the summer, and I immediately got a response. Apparently the previous physics, chemistry and math teacher had gone on a long-term sickness vacation at the end of the last school year due to the students constantly harassing him for unknown reasons. What was his name again...? Vixus... or was it Vaxen or something like that...

Anyway, she said my certificates were very impressive for such a young age and if I'd get hired then I'd have to be in charge of teaching not only math, but physics and chemistry as well. As for me, I'm completely fine with that since those two subjects come quite as naturally to me as math does.

According to the clerk it's unclear whether this Vixler guy ever comes back since he left pretty suddenly doors slamming behind him, but if he'd show up suddenly, my duties concerning physics and chemistry would be transferred back to him and I could continue teaching math.

Due to the school's desperate need for a skilled teacher we agreed on an interview as soon as possible. The vice principal would supposedly come to school two weeks before the term begins to do some arrangements before the place would be flooded by students, so my date for the interview would be exactly the first day of those preceding weeks. So here I am.

I'm nervous as hell, but I'm ninety percent sure I'll get the job. It's not that I'm overly confident or anything, I simply just know what I'm doing when it comes to teaching math. I'm actually more worried that the vice principal interviewing me will judge me by my appearance.

You see, even though I'll turn twenty-two this winter, I certainly don't look like it. I look mostly sixteen, major if I'm lucky. One reason is my puny physique. I stopped growing when I was fifteen after reaching 5"5, and I haven't grown an inch ever since. I'm not really muscular either.

The other much worse reason is my face. Apparently I look like a cute girl and many say that I'm prettier than most normal females with my porcelain skin, golden hair and blue eyes.

Even though I look like a beauty, don't think for one second that I'd want to be one. I've gotten in so much trouble namely because of my looks that I've lost count, and some of those events have been so traumatizing or just dangerous in general that I'm still recovering. That's why I've been to so many doctors and twice as many psychiatrists. I also take strong medication twice a day, in the mornings and before I go to sleep.

Surprising, huh? But that's reality. I didn't choose a life like this. Others chose to make my life difficult for me to live. People are assholes, monsters who lack self control and they'll ruin you, destroy you for their own benefits if they're given a chance. That's something I've learned along all the shit I've been through in life, not to trust anyone and to never let your guard down no matter what. Because people are pretty much all the same inside, ugly and treacherous. And they rarely change.

So to prevent any further misunderstandings regarding my face I comb my hair in front as much as I can, and I also wear reading glasses with thick black frames when I go public. That way at least half of my face is hidden and the glasses make me look like a total nerd. Even if I do say so myself, I think the scam is quite convincing.

Before opening the heavy twin doors leading inside the highschool I take out said glasses from my satchel and put them on. As I step in I realize that the inside of the building looks even more classy than the outside. The first area you come to is of course the lobby which seemed to be more or less the very center of the whole school since there were more than a handful of different doors leading to different places from it. It was wide and circular like a tower and the ceiling was made of glass.

I heard that special courses in astronomy could be taken here in the lobby, but they'd take place at night when the actual stars would be visible and the principal himself would be teaching it. I'm not sure if those are just rumors, but after seeing the actual lobby the rumors seem somehow more believable now.

The remaining exterior of the lobby was relatively cozy in my opinion. The walls were painted a royal blue and the floor had a dark, wooden color. Comfy looking dark blue sofas and small round coffee tables that seemed to be made of the same dark material as the floor were scattered here and there in a somewhat logical pattern. Several rather original pieces of supposedly great art were also noticable throughout the whole area in the form of statues and paintings.

As I stare around in awe I accidentally spot the place I was looking for. There was a wide reception desk in the far left corner and I walk towards it. To my displeasure there's nobody behind it, so I push the small button on the desk designated to call someone over.

As soon as I ring the bell I hear a loud crash and a shrill female voice cursing from behind one of the doors behind the reception.

"Fuck shit, here already!?"

I check the time and realize that not even ten minutes have passed since last time I checked.

Well it's true that I'm a bit ahead of schedule, but isn't it better to be early rather than late?

Soon a very eccentric-looking, blonde woman struts out through one of the doors that reads "staff" with the sounds of her high heels echoing temperamentally through the lobby.

"Good morning! You must be mr. Strife, a bit of an earlybird aren't you?" She chirps happily while offering her hand as she walks up to me. I recognize her voice to belong to the same person I talked to over the phone.

I take her hand and try to sound as polite as possible.

"Yes, my name is Roxas Strife. I'm here for the job interview we agreed upon."

"Nice to meet you Roxas. I'm Rikku, and as I already mentioned over the phone I work as the clerk and secretary of this shithole. I take care of everything here that is more or less considered to be the 'less important' stuff like getting new slaves for the boss such as yourself."

"...R-right. Nice to meet you too."

"Oh, don't be so reserved! I'm not to be taken seriously so relax, I was only joking." She grins and turns to walk back towards the reception desk.

I know for sure she's the same person I talked to in the beginning of summer, but I'm surprised that she doesn't even try to prune her language. Back then she could've been the most dignified human being on earth, she didn't swear or use indecent language, not even once. But now she's like a whole different person! I guess she was only trying to give a good first impression or whatever... Well, I'll only wonder now that I'm here already though.

"Ummm, should I just wait here or...?" I ask a bit awkwardly. She just waves her hand at me as she answers happily, already on her way through another door behind the reception.

"Yeah just take a seat somewhere, I'll go inform Saïx... I mean the vice principal about your arrival."

After that she's gone but I can hear her loud footsteps echoing for a long time even after the door closes behind her.

I let out a soft sigh and slump down on one of the smaller sofas closest to the reception. Out of habit I reach for my phone but freeze as I'm reminded of this morning's disastrous events so I decide to lean my head back and just look out the glass ceiling. I should try to relax myself as much as I can before the interview.

So... the vice principal's name is Saïx, huh. I sure hope he's not a stuck up asshole or one of those pretentious snobs that were in charge at the other "better" schools in the central. I get goosebumps all over just from remembering the previous interviews with the different principals in the central from one year ago when I for the first time tried to get a job.

Back then If I really wanted, I would have been accepted to teach math in four different schools located in the central. Two of those were also in desperate need of a physics and chemistry teacher just like this place and offered me immediate employment without even looking at my records. But in the end I refused them all.

You're probably thinking that I'm nuts for doing that but let me tell you, I'd rather work as a farmer and teach chickens the periodic table in five languages than watch snotty spoiled brats get master degrees for throwing erasers at me when I teach.

Yeah, those supposedly better, more expensive schools in the central are sadly in most cases only playgrounds for rich kids that are to eventually succeed their parents companies or royal families or whatever the situation may be. This means that the education doesn't really matter as much as the image of the students, which I despise.

I for once would not be able to stand looking at farces like that day in and out knowing those immoral kids are the future leaders of our society.

This is why I in the end decided to move out to the countryside. The schools here were just as- if not even more in need of good teachers. Besides, the people living here are all in all considered to be more sympathetic and polite, and they seem to think that good education is the true success in life.

I cross my legs and check the time again. It's still another fifteen minutes until my appointment. As I start deliberating on whether I should or shouldn't go and try the water dispenser in the far corner on the other side of the enormous lobby I suddenly hear someone singing and playing on what sounds like some kind of strange string instrument somewhere not too far away.

I listen for a while and notice the sounds coming closer and closer, and soon enough a door opens beside the water dispenser I was about to test out.

A fairly odd-looking young guy with a mullet backs out the door, almost tripping in the process while singing, or more like humming some experimental tunes whilst playing a harmonic melody with the odd instrument.

He was wearing casual black, skinny pants that were ripped here and there and a navy blue tank top. Several bracelet-type accessories adorned his slightly muscular arms from the elbows down to the wrists. Looking more closely I notice that the accessories didn't restrict only to his arms, but also his neck and ears were full of some kind of trinketty jewellery.

Apparently unaware of my presence the guy slowly walks towards the reception desk and just before reaching it he stops his playing and utters an almost inaudible "No, that's still not quite right...".

"It sounded pretty good to me." I say without really thinking too much of it, and the guy flinches a bit when he realizes he's not alone in the lobby. He looks up to me and instantly flashes me a bright, slightly embarassed smile.

"Oh I'm sorry, I didn't think that someone would be here this early yet."

"It's okay, I like music and I wasn't really up to anything important anyway." I say returning the guy a more modest smile. To my slight surprise the guy decides to join me around the small table and sits right across me on one of the wooden chairs.

"Glad to have your appreciation, I'm Demyx by the way. I teach music in here and sometimes drama and art." He says chirply as he carefully places his instrument to rest beside the small table.

"I'm Roxas. I came here for a job interview to the position of a math, physics and chemistry teacher."

"So you'll be the replacement of Vexen the fuss-cuss? That's awesome!" He claps his hands as he utters the sentence like a little kid.

"Yeah well, that is if I manage to meet the requirements-..."

"Don't be stupid! I can sense all the professional knowledge thingy oozing from you just by looking. Besides, Saïx approved someone like me so you're definietly gonna pass! I'll bet my sitar on it!" Demyx states while looking at me with big eyes.

"I- is that so..." I try to sound less hyped not to provoke the mullet head further, seeing as he might burst from sheer excitement any second.

Overlooking the facts that this guy just called me stupid in a way and cut me right in the middle of a sentence, I have to admit I'm quite humoured by his childlike spirit. I guess it's a littlerefreshing to meet different people like this every now and then...

"Oooon second thought..." He says while placing a thoughtful finger on his chin. "Let me take that back, my sitar is far too important to place as a bet item so..." He says and instantly grabs his sitar to hug it firmly.

I can't help but chuckle a little at Demyx's fickleness. Realizing he's being ridiculed by me he pouts and looks away.

"D- don't laugh! I seriously cannot live without my precious sitar, I quite literally don't leave anywhere without it. I even sleep with it."

"That... I don't doubt in the least." I say in between restrained snickers.

"I told you not to laugh, for Christ's sake-!"

Demyx doesn't get the chance to tell me off completely as Rikku returns through the door she had entered just a few minutes ago. She notices us and smiles when she sees us getting along.

"I see you've met our cutiepie Demyx, I'm glad you two've made friends with eachother already." She grins and Demyx throws a tantrum about the nickname she attatched to his name. Seriously, they're both acting like I already got the damn job.

"And Roxas, Saïx... the vice principal's ready to see you now. He's waiting for you in his office in the common hall." Rikku informs me while keeping a restrained Demyx from death hugging her.

"Right. I'll get going." I say as I stand up and pick up my satchel.

"Just go through the same door I did and you'll eventually reach the common hall. His office has his nameplate on it so you won't miss it." She adds.

"Okay, that's not too hard to remember."

As I'm about to open the door leading to the common hall Rikku calls after me once more.

"Roxas wait, I forgot to tell you one more thing!"

I stop in my tracks and give her a questioning look.

"In about an hour there's going to be a teacher conference so don't get spooked if you run into some weird-looking people on your way back."

As I'm wondering what exactly Rikku meant by "weird-looking" people I head towards the common hall. She probably meant the teachers themselves, seeing as Demyx is an oddball enough to live up to that portrayal, not to mention Rikku herself. This however explains why a teacher like Demyx was hanging out at school in the middle of summer.

But I'll most likely be out of here before the conference starts anyway. Interviews tend to be quite short and concise so I most likely won't have to worry about it. Besides, I'm guessing that the vice principal is going to have to participate in the meeting himself so he shouldn't keep grilling me for too long.

After walking for a short while I reach a small staircase leading up to a large door with an informative plate that indeed read "common hall" with engraved letters. I open it and enter a room divided in two different, smaller hallways. Each hallway had several doors with similar metallic plates with the names of different people, probably the teacher's names engraved on them. I read a few rather peculiar names on my way to the one that read "Saïx van Citrine, V-P". Sounds foreign. And scary.

Gulping I clutch my hand holding the satchel and knock three times, opening the door when I hear a low, composed voice allowing my entrance.

I'm pretty sure that interview was by far the scariest one that I've ever been in my whole life. Not only the scariest, but also the longest, seeing as it almost took a whole hour! Saïx probably would have kept on questioning me for even longer if it wasn't for the conference he had to go to.

Oh well, at least I'm employed now. I skip a little as I think that thought.

That's right, I passed Saïx's hell-on-earth trial after he finally decided that I didn't have any flaws that could get in the way of teaching math or anything else. He also scanned through all my papers at least ten times before he gave them back to me in the end of the interview, frowning suspiciously the whole time.

Even after granting me the job, I had the feeling that Saïx still wasn't quite pleased with me. I think that my appearance is despite the glasses-ruse a pretty obvious stand out after all. Maybe he'll approve of me after some time, when I've shown him that I really am teacher material.

Before I go back to the lobby I decide to take a look at my new office. It's Vexen's old one which is on the right side of Saïx's. A woman named Larxene Fulgur has her office right across from mine and to my right I have someone named Axel Primred. I hope they are nice people.

The principal's office that also functioned as a meeting room was of course the largest one and its doors faced the rest of the hallway from the very end of it. I could hear some conversation going on behind its doors figuring it must be the teachers conference starting.

I exit the common hall and make my way back towards where I came from.

Only now I feel the relief kicking in. I can't even begin to describe how happy I am right now. I finally have a real job!

Slowly a contented smile surfaces to adorn my features and I find myself slightly skipping through the rest of the hallway. This is by far my best day of this summer.

"You, blondie over there!"

I abruptly stop in my tracks when I hear someone yelling.

"What do you think you're doing in a place like this on your precious summer vacation?"

Excuse me?

I look up towards the source of the rude inquire and see a clown walking with swift steps towards me. Or someone who kinda looks like one with hair as red as a firetruck and weird, droplet-like tattoos under his both eyes.

When he stops right in front of me with his hand resting on one of his hips I give him a prompt once over and come to the conclusion that I'm no doubt in the company of some sort of idiot. He was wearing casual clothes, pale skinny jeans held up by a studded silvery belt and a black hoodie with a white band print. His shoes were a pair of plain black sneakers with red laces.

He looks down at me like he's about to scold his own son, yet I can tell that there's no way he could be much older than myself.

"Students aren't allowed in here during summer unless you have an appointment with the big shot, you know."

His remark kinda sets me off and I give him an extremely offended look, which probably goes to waste anyway because of the glasses. When I'm about to give him the correction of his life he just ruffles my hair and walks right past me.

"Well whatever, kid. I'd see you to the door if I had the time, but there's a meeting I'm running late from so be a good boy and go enjoy the rest of your vacation. I bet there's lots of girls to check out on the beach today."

"A-... hey, wait... I'm not-!" I try calling out to the redhead but in vain as he's as good as gone the next second through the hallway I came from.

For a few moments I just stand there gaping like a goldfish trying to process what just occurred.

After a while irritation bubbles up and I angrily stomp towards the lobby entrance with a fuming head, my face probably as red as the jerk's hair.

How dare he? How can he just call an adult man a kid and then just casually touch me as he pleases? And he mistook me for a student even when I'm carrying a freaking satchel! What kind of 'kid' carries a satchel with him for heavens sake!?

As those thoughts rage through my mind I brush my hair back in place with my fingers that the vandal messed up.

It's been a while since I've felt this humiliated. Even if it's not really a new thing for me to be mistaken as a minor, for some reason the fact that an annoying freak thought I was a kid...

It just really pisses me off.

Well, not that I didn't anticipate some kind of letdown to 'balance' an otherwise perfect day.

When I reach the lobby area I tell Rikku back at the reception a "see you in two weeks" and she happily congratulates me for getting the job, relief apparent in both her expression and voice.

Soon Demyx also peeks out through the 'staff' door upon hearing my return and happily welcomes me to the team while stumbling past me in a hurry with his beloved sitar under his arm. He wasn't kidding when he said that he doesn't leave anywhere without it.

"Really now, I told him Saïx was gonna let him have it if he was late again..." Rikku says with a sigh, probably referring to Demyx.

I just laugh a bit awkwardly and bid her farewell.

Later that day I find myself completely drooped down on the couch at home, exploring my first smart phone I bought today. I picked it up at the local electronics shop and my life suddenly feels like it's gotten back on track again. I know I'm a bit later than most people with finally getting a smart phone, but hey, I was perfectly surviving with an old, buttoned phone until now.

As soon as I get the thing working and figure how to use it I call Naminé and tell her the good news. She of course wants to come over right away and bring cake for celebration and whatnot, but I politely decline. I'd rather just relax and watch some TV before going early to bed after a stressful day and we agree to save the cake for tomorrow instead. Naminé also promised to bring mom and Olette along too in case they weren't busy.

Oh, and just to clarify some things, Naminé is my twin sister and Olette is our mutual best friend since our childhood times. Yes, I used to hang out and play mostly with girls when I was a kid because the other boys would just tease me for being a pansy and stuff.

Olette is in fact married to a guy named Hayner who was one of my former bullies. But we're okay now. I'm actually getting on better terms with him each time they come over or I go visit them. Turns out he's actually a pretty good guy, he just has a little of an... attitude problem.

Speaking of problems I suddenly remember the red haired bozo from earlier today. For some reason I get really annoyed every time I try picturing his face or the situation I was in with him. Is it because of the devaluating look he gave me or the fact that he thought I was an enrolling student, I do not know.

But what I do know is that I won't let him look down on me again. And I definietly won't tolerate any kind of harassment ever again from anyone! Not when I've worked so hard to get this far from the bottom that is my past. After all, this is where my life truly begins.


	2. Closet fun

**A/N:**

**Soo... this is probably where everything starts to get more interesting I think, unfortunately for our poor Roxas and fortunately for us ;)**

**Oh! And thankies for the lovely reviews :) It gave me an extra ****spur**** to write more :D I'm still a bit noobish at this fanfiction stuff so I'm positively surprised that someone actually bother****ed**** to read it XD**

**Again, ****this is a BL/ yaoi themed story so if you don't appreciate ****gay ****love, do not bother to read any further****. And I don't recommend anyone under 18 reading this because well you know. (why do I even bother...)**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN KINGDOM HEARTS OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS. **

Chapter 2:** Closet fun**

_"OW! You're standing on my foot again, stupid!"_

_"Shush, blondie! Don't move around so much, you wanna get fired on your first day?"_

_"Whos fault do you think this is!? Move!"_

_"Owowow hey, stop pushing! You sure take a lot of space despite being so vertically challenged."_

My luck has always been following a certain pattern throughout my whole life. Sometimes it would grant me small miracles that would give me plenty of energy to get through for a while, and sometimes a little downfall here and there so that I won't get too comfortable. Usually the bad luck is just a tad bit dominating, but the good things would always balance everything out eventually.

However.

_"What did you just say to mehhmmmprfhhf-!?" _

_"Listen here, you may not have anything against losing your job. But I have, so I won't hesitate in having your mouth shut in a way or another I see fit, so I'd suggest you bottle up!"_

_"Mmmmmfblgfhhr-!"_

For some reason my luck suddenly seems to have taken a very wretched route in life, and it's stayed that way for far too long to my liking. And unfortunately, based on how things are looking right now, it's not going to get better any time soon.

My situation is you see, everything else _besides_ balancing. I'm currently being crushed against the wall of an uncomfortably small closet inside the principal's office by the red-haired hero himself whos name I'm too annoyed to remember at the moment.

And it doesn't end there. To top the whole situation off, the principal and the vice principal are having a meeting with some important- looking people in suits as we speak, JUST outside this closet. They're talking about curriculums and events to be held this year and things like that so I presume the important-looking people are from the school government.

The only good thing about this whole fiasco is that the debate they're having outside is rather hectic, so up until now we've avoided being discovered.

But that's not the real problem! The _real_ problem is that I can't breathe and it's hot as hell in here. My personal space is pretty much nonexistent and I have to pee. Additionally, the person who's to blame for everything has restricted not only my ability to move but now to speak as well by almost choking me with his sweaty palm.

Now before I proceed to biting the fingers off this moron I might as well explain how I got stuck in a closet with him in the first place.

- - - +o+ - - -

My day started pretty well. The principal himself, Xemnas Grayreed contacted me yesterday and asked me to meet him before the others. He said he wanted to meet me personally before introducing me to everyone else and officially "letting me out on the field". Hence I decided to come ten minutes earlier so that I could use those excess minutes to properly move in my office, set up my computer and such.

The principal showed up _exactly_ at the time when we had agreed which was eight thirty. Right when I took the first look at him I realized he was someone very exceptional. He had this unexplainable, intimidating feel to him, but not in the same scary way as Saïx though. He had more of this "respectable superior" aura, and I didn't get as nervous as I thought I would. And what's more, he actually only wanted to know more about me as a person, not my abilities as a teacher or possible records or anything like that. It was surprising, but I guess it loosened up my mood a bit.

After about twenty minutes of chatting with the principal, a very stressed out Saïx came in with a pile of files in his hands, nitpicking about deadlines and other urgent sounding stuff. Xemnas left with him to take care of it and left me alone in his office.

When it was about time for the other teachers to arrive and_ just _as I was starting to get a little paranoid of whether or not I was even in the right room for the opening conference, I was glomped from behind by a hyper Demyx. He had most likely come to school way too early just to play around with his sitar again.

Soon after, an older male with an eyepatch over his right eye came and clotheslined Demyx off of me.

"Hey, don't traumatize the new kid Dems, we don't want him bailing on us too now, do we?"

I only watched with amazement the significantly older man handle Demyx like you would a rowdy child, yet he still somehow managed to offer me his hand in the process.

"Pleased to meet you kiddo, my name is Xigbar and you may call me Xigbar. I teach PE and health ed. This little runt here is Demyx whom I understood you'd already met." He gave me a grin from which I couldn't really determine whether or not he was actually pleased to meet me.

"I-I'm Roxas, pleased to meet you too and yes, I actually met Demyx two weeks ago when I came for the interview." I say taking his hand and he shakes it maybe a little too violently to my liking.

"Yeah you bet we all knew exactly who you were after the conference! Mr. Tattletale here wouldn't shut up about you even after the meeting was over and done with."

He gave me another undeterminable grin and Demyx who was growing tired of struggling rised his voice in an embarassed retort of "That's totally not true!"

I couldn't do anything else but laugh lightly as I watched the rambling duo take their seats on opposite sides of the conference table.

Shortly afterwards a sassy-looking, blonde woman came in and sat down farthest away from the principals chair. I could smell the scent of a very strong floral perfume even all the way from where I was sitting just beside the principals chair. She folded her arms and crossed her legs before giving the other two arguers a glare.

"I see you two geniuses are doing just as brilliantly as last year." The woman said sarcastically and both Demyx and Xigbar stopped for a moment to look at her for a second but continued their own little argument almost right away. She uttered a sour "hmph" and turned to look at me instead.

"And you must be this Roxas person who's supposed to clean up after Vexen. So _very_ pleased to meet you." She was probably the woman named Larxene who had her office right opposite of mine I thought with dread. She said she was in charge of social studies and occasionally girls PE.

I found the rest of the conversation with the female very irritating in general since her main purpose seemed to be making me feel like I was of lower value than the dirt she walked on. Luckily it wasn't long until the rest of the teachers showed up followed by the principal and Saïx with not as many paper files as before.

Larxene turned out to be the only female teacher of us which I was a little surprised about and the others looked just as weird as the rest of my future colleagues that I'd met so far. The person who caught my eye first though was of course the rude redhead from two weeks ago, but he in turn didn't notice me until the principal officially _announced_ my existence to everyone when we started the meeting.

He looked as surprised as I thought he would. First he looked at me like he wasn't entirely sure if he had seen me before or not, but then he suddenly seemed to remember something as his mouth formed a discomforted "o".

At that exact moment I felt a small satisfaction grow inside me and I smiled inwardly.

Ha. Bet you're not gonna call me a kid now, huh? I thought as I kept a knowing eyecontact with him until he eventually looked away.

After the meeting that consisted of pretty much just formalities, new rules and schedules everyone withdrew to their own rooms to prepare for the flood of students. Everyone except for me, the principal who sat himself at his own desk in the far front of the room to do some paperwork and the clown that I soon learned was named Axel. Me and Axel were confronted by Saïx at the door who again seemed like he was in an awful hurry somewhere else.

"Axel. Take Roxas and show him around before the students arrive. He has to know where the _hall of Serenity _is located so that he can guide his class there later."

"So I get to play the babysitter. Sweetness." He said stretching his arms in front of him and giving me a playful smirk which I answered with a glare. The jerk.

"I would do it myself if I wasn't so busy. I know I can trust him to you so give him a short but concise tour around the building." Saïx said narrowing his eyes at Axel as if to ensure he didn't deflect from the duty given to him.

"Roger that." Axel said nodding and we watched Saïx hurry out with his papers through the hallway.

A brief awkwardness settled between us until he eventually spoke.

"Uhhm...the students are let inside in about fifteen minutes which is also when we have to be in our own homeroom classes picking them up so let's get this over with."

"Yeah, sure." I say shrugging as we begin walking through the common hall.

No conversation whatsoever took place as we walked, apart from notifications about a room or location from Axel and my short responds of nods, "okay"s and "I see"s. The air only became thicker with uneasiness as we went through the rest of the first part of the school building. When we reached the part where art and music classes were located he stopped and turned to face me.

"Okay, I can't take this anymore." He said scratching his head.

"I... suppose I owe you an apology from last time. I'm sorry for mistaking you for a student." He continued.

I was probably so astounded by his sudden apology that I forgot to reply.

"It's just that... well, you seem like the type of person who takes things like that to heart and I just wanted you to know that I didn't mean to offend you in any way." He finishes and looks at me with a sincerely apologetic expression. He's probably waiting for some kind of answer.

Oh.

"D-don't mention it!" I say waving my hands. "Trust me, I get mistaken as a minor a lot so you're definietly not the first and probably not the last to do so."

"Well, that's good to hear-... I mean, not about you being mistaken, I meant the no hard feelings -part..." He looks down shaking his head.

"And as you can see, I also suck at expressing myself."

I let out a humored snort and he too lets out a smalln laugh. I felt the mood around us lifting a little from the pit of awkwardness it was lying in just moments ago.

"So...I should probably show you the hall of Serenity now so that you won't get lost and embarass yourself in front of your class."

"Yeah, although I don't think I'd be completely helpless if that were to happen." I point out.

"Why's that?" He asks giving me a puzzled look.

"I'm taking over Vexen's homeroom class which is 2A, right? Shouldn't the second year students know where this hall of Serenity is?"

"Oh I wouldn't rely on the students from class 2A. They're one bunch of scoundrels all put together in one class. Even _I'm_ having trouble keeping them tucked sometimes."

Axel utters the last part with a little darker tone and I get a little curious. But just as I'm about to ask him about it we arrive at the doors leading to the hall of Serenity.

"Well here we are. Wanna take a look inside?" He asks.

"Sure, why not." I answer, and as he opens the twin doors leading inside I almost choke at the beauty of the large room.

It almost looked like a completely white church with rows of benches and an aisle through the middle leading up to a slightly higher platform where speeches were most likely meant to be held. The ceiling was ornated with small mirror pieces and a lonely white grand piano stood in the corner of the platformed area. A large, black and white painting of a clock tower and a city beneath it covered the whole left wall.

I was so lost in faccination that I didn't notice Demyx joining us at the entrance.

"Shouldn't you be in your own classes already? Rikku's opening the doors any minute now." Demyx says tapping us both on the shoulders.

"What about you Demyx, don't you have any class to take care of?" I ask the mullethead and Axel answers the question instead.

"This donkey here is the only teacher at this school besides the vice and the big shot who doesn't have to bother with the responsibility of homeroom, the reason being he's too retarded for the job."

"That's not true! T-there's just not enough classes for every teacher and-"

"And you don't have the brains to keep track of any assignments coming with the job." Axel cuts him off.

Defeat and embarassment in his eyes Demyx just stares at Axel. Then his face heats up as he gradually gets redder and redder with anger.

"Challenge!" He shouts while pointing at Axel.

"Not again-"

"I _will_ win this time, I'm serious!"

The two share a silent moment just staring at one another, Axel smiling arrogantly and Demyx with a determined shine in his eyes. Soon Axel lets out a sigh.

"Okay fine, but I'll make the rules because yours suck."

"I'm okay with that, and they don't suck!"

"Whatever. How about this, I challenge you to take my place for today and guide my class to the opening ceremony without fucking up and it's your win."

"I accept!" Demyx clenches his fists while grinning from ear to ear.

"However, you may not ask my class for help. Class 3A is loyal to me so I'll know if you try to make it easy for you. And you have to give them a small introduction speech of this year before taking them here successfully on time. If you fuck up even once on anything, I win." Axel adds while waving his index finger in front of Demyx's face like he's giving him a lecture.

"Yeah yeah I know, but what's the punishment?" Demyx says swatting away Axels hand.

"The punishment is, the loser has to write a naughty love letter to the principal and sneak it inside his desk during lunch today."

"Deal!"

After sealing their "deal" with a handshake they both steer their gazes at me.

"W-what?" I say weirdly.

"Well seeing as you're an eyewitness, you have to play your part in this too. So who's side do you take?" Axel says matter-of-factly.

"Huh? Hey, I have absolutely nothing to do with this! Don't drag me into something that you guys started all on your own." I say waving my hands in front of me but Axel's having none of that.

"Oh no no no Roxy, that's not how we do things here." He says with a low voice as he puts his arm over my shoulder in an almost overly-friendly way.

"That's right Roxas, how can we know you won't tell on us or something?" Demyx follows Axel's example and puts his arm on my other shoulder in a similar intimidating way.

For some reason I get the feeling that I shouldn't refuse them on this. Not because I think they're intimidating or scary, but because I have a feeling that they're letting me in on something special because they want to make friends with me or something like that. I know I don't need any friends to get through life, but it's always nice to have some anyway. And the reason why they want me in on this _could _of course also be because they simply don't trust me yet. I just started working here, or well, I haven't even had my first class yet, so I don't blame them. Besides, they can't exactly see my face either so there's plenty of reasons not to trust me.

So a little dishearted I decide to play along with them.

"All right already, I guess I'm with you but only this time." I say shrugging their arms off me and they high five each other victoriously as I turn around facing them.

"So tell me, who's side am I the most secure on if I absolutely have to pick either one of you?"

"That'd be mine, seeing as Demyx hasn't won any of our previous challenges." Axel says smirking and pats Demyx's back.

"Yeah, well this time I have a feeling that I'll win. I'm sure of it!" Demyx says confidently.

"That's exactly what you said last time too." Axel points out resting his head in his palm and before Demyx has the time to throw some kind of argument I make my decision.

"Sorry Demyx, I think I'll tag on Axel this time then."

"Wise decision, Roxy. And Dems, I'd be hurrying to my class about now if I were you, otherwise you'll loose before it's even begun. I bet you can't even remember where my class is."

After that Demyx shot out a little panicked in search of Axel's class and left us alone once again.

"It's about time for you to get to your class too. Do you want me to show where it is?" Axel offers.

"Well, I was told by Saïx that it's somewhere in the second building, but I'm not too sure how to get there so I'd be grateful if you'd show me."

"Sure thing then." He said and we started walking towards the second building.

"I don't suppose you have anything better to do anyway now that you got released from your own duties." I say jokingly and we continue chatting merrily about this and that as we proceed through the school.

We took a route leading to the second building through a corridor with glass walls with a view outside to the courtyard. After reaching the end of the corridor we entered the second building through another pair of large twin doors. Fortunately my homeroom class turned out to be the math class which also was right beside the laboratory, the pysics and chemistry class. Speaking of classes, I still hadn't figured out what subject Axel was teaching.

"By the way, I never asked you what your subject was." I say as I sit down by my desk and Axel situates himself on one of the students desks in the front row.

"Biology, and sometimes geography if needed." Axel says plainly.

"Wow... that's kind of surprising." I say after thinking about it for a while.

"Why so?"

"Because, well... I kind of assumed you were the type who didn't teach theoretical subjects."

"Well just what did you think I would be teaching?" He asks half offended and half humored.

"Well, like drama or art or something...?"

"What?!"

"Well you kind of look like a performer." I say with a teasing tone and he immediately takes up on the joke as he starts chasing me around the desk playfully.

"I'll teach you who to call a performer-!" He says as he tries to reach me over the desk.

"Thanks but I think I'll pass." I laugh dodging him.

"Trust me, I'm a teacher."

"Sure you are mr. Clown."

"Why you little-! Come here four-eyes, you clearly need a lesson!"

"No way!"

"Oh yeah? Well I guess I'll just come there then!" Axel says and climbs over the desk with lightning speed grabbing my arm in the process. I get so astonished by his sudden agile move over the desk that I end up stumbling backwards over the chair dragging him down with me.

We end up half way up the chair with him lying between my legs while still holding my arm with his right hand and supporting himself on my shoulder with his left hand.

A silence forms between us and we just stare at eachother for a moment that probably lasted only a few seconds, but it sure felt like several minutes.

Suddenly we hear the nearing rumbling footsteps and noise of people, probably the students, and Axel immediately bolts up offering his hand in embarassment.

"I-I probably should get going to see if Dems is handling it over at my end." He says looking away and pulling me up as I take his hand awkwardly.

"Y-yeah, I should probably start getting ready for homeroom too." I say and he utters a quick "see ya" before he's gone.

I can hear students greeting him in a friendly way and him answering them with either a greet back or a 'you should be going to your own classes' and such at which I smile. It seemed like the students liked him, or at least respected him.

I sigh a little taking my seat at my desk in front of the class as I wait for it to fill up with my own students. I open my satchel that I put beside the desk when we entered and take out the list of students that were supposed to show up. I read the list through and counted a total of fourteen students.

I'm kind of surprised at the small amount because back when I studied the number of pupils per class was always over twenty, but then I remember that this is a school of a slightly higher class so I let it be.

As I take out my phone deciding to play some tetris to kill time, a thought of the whole challenge thing I managed to get involved into crosses my mind. I wonder if Demyx really would manage to get things done on time and without screwing up. According to Axel he's lost every other challenge so why would this time be any different? Besides, based on his ditzy personality and nature I suppose I shouldn't have anything to worry about.

Yeah, I'm definietly going to be fine.

- - - +o+ - - -

And as you probably noticed, I've never been more wrong in my whole life about anything than I was to involve myself in this.

Demyx unfortunately managed to handle the situation like a professional and I actually had to write the freaking letter to the principal together with Axel, which by the way was very awkward because he insisted to add all kinds of perverted kinks in it. I had to write everything too because he said that the principal would easily recognize his writing. In the end we also signed the letter to be from the vice principal because well, Axel said to make it worth the effort.

When lunch time came we sneaked inside Xemnas's office and as we were about to sneak out again we heard footsteps coming our way and panicking we hid inside some random closet.

Which is why I'm in this situation right now.

I'm feeling a little bit weirded out by his closeness because of the whole stumble thing back in the math class, but he for once doesn't seem to care at all. In fact, it almost feels like he's scooting closer and closer to me by every minute that passes, or then it's just me.

And he smells nice. It kind of reminds me of that soap bubble extract that I used to blow bubbles with when I was a kid-... wait WHAT?! No! Stop wandering brain!

I kind of forget that we have to be quiet when I bite down on his fingers out of shock of my own line of thought.

And soon enough I get to regret it as the situation takes a turn towards something even worse.

I hear him hissing in pain and he grabs both my hands and pins them over my head at the same time as he presses his whole body into mine in attempt to restrict my movement to the maximum.

I let out a surprized whimper and he looks me straight in the eyes as he speaks to me in a low whispering voice.

_"I'm now completely preventing you from moving anywhere with all of my body except my head."_ He whispers leaning forward to reach my ear and I feel a shiver run down my spine throughout my whole body.

_"I think you know what I'll have to do next to keep your mouth shut if you still refuse to stay quiet."_

As the wheels turn in my head I come to realize the meaning behind his words and instantly my face heats up to a degree that makes me dizzy and I feel my knees buckle a little.

_"And don't doubt even for a second that I won't do it, because I will. Are we clear?"_

I just nod silently while his piercing eyes watch me tremble in slight terror under the pressure he's causing.

_"Good." _He says finally.

But... wait a minute.

_Why_ isn't he moving away? I promised to be quiet right, so why?

I consider asking him to step away from me but I'm kind of scared of what he'll do if I speak.

For a while I try focusing on listening to the meeting outside like Axel probably is right now trying to do too, but the feeling of his body pressed so closely to mine is gradually starting to affect me.

The threat he threw at me stirred up something which I can't seem to control at all. Now other unmentionable parts in my body are starting to heat up with a rapid tempo and I almost start panicking.

I feel so helpless, if only I was a little bigger and taller I wouldn't be in this situation in the first place. Random idiots wouldn't be able to drag me into their shit and pin me down as they please left and right!

I almost start crying as I think about it but manage to keep it inside. I decide to take the risk, I don't have anything to lose in this situation anyway anymore.

_"A-Axel?" _I whisper carefully at which he leans closer to hear better.

_"C-could you move away a bit? I-it's kind of hot and uncomfortable."_

Axel looks me straight in the eyes once again narrowing his eyes in distrust.

_"P-please? I promise to be completely quiet."_

After a while he does move away from me and I feel myself relaxing. I drop myself into a sitting position against the closet wall and Axel does the same.

A few minutes of silence pass and after I've calmed down somewhat, rage starts to build up inside me.

I was SO WRONG to ever think of the red-headed creep bag as anything else but an evil, sadistic asshole. When I get out of here mark my words I will see to it that we never EVER cross roads again.

It's actually a good thing that I'm not much of a brawn, because I'd probably be beating annoying people up on a daily basis.

The meeting that seemed to never end finally came to a stop and as soon as we heard every single person leave the room I was the first one to storm out of the closet.

"Roxas, wait!" I heard him call after me and I stopped for a mere second to say to him one thing.

"Do not ever talk to me again."

I tried to apply as much venom into it as I spoke and after not hearing any reply I started stomping back to my class that I was running very late from.


	3. Childish behaviour

**A/N**

**Firstly, before anyone points out about a sudden change in quality of my writing, I wanna thank Kunoichi21 for beta reading and correcting my hideous mistakes. It's thanks to her that you may read my story without getting random urges to gouge your eyes out. Thank you so much Kunoichi21! **

**I am so so so sorry for updating a bit late, my excuse is that I was graduating and therefore had been busy doing my final assignment.**

**I thought I'd mention that I don't know what kind of highschool system regarding subjects and such is the most common or well known, so I'm pretty much just going with how things are here where I'm from because it's easier for me to write that way. I've also noticed that in most (or at least many) places the students refer to their teachers with Mr. This and Mrs. That and vice versa, but I think I'll stick to what feels the most natural to me so I'll probably keep using only their first names. However it's completely possible that I might forget that and accidentally write it the Mr. or Mrs.- way so I apologize for that in advance in case it bothers someone.**

**I don't recommend this story to anyone under the age of 18~**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN KINGDOM HEARTS OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS.**

- - - +o+ - - -

Chapter 3: Childish behaviour

Even if everything about Axel the closet creep infuriates me endlessly, I have to admit that he was absolutely right when he said that class 2A was a bunch of scoundrels. The fact that this Vexen guy left them doesn't surprise me one bit, because after some utterly _excruciating_ lessons together with it I can honestly say that never ever in my whole life have I felt so completely ignored and looked down upon.

I'm actually quite impressed that someone can manage ignoring the teacher for a whole lecture by either fiddling with their phones or some other gaming devices. Alternatively some of them would just discuss loudly about a party they got very wasted at and other things of no educational importance. Seriously, when I was still a student, things like that were unacceptable! If it were me I would've simply been thrown out through the window, third floor or not, and never let inside the classroom again. It was a given that you listen when the teacher is teaching for heaven's sake.

Maybe it really is all about the difference in society? Or maybe I'm becoming old...

Either way, I'm finding my frustration growing and my patience shrinking the more I have lectures with them. For example, I thought I was prepared for the unavoidable shower of nicknames that teachers tend to get from students but... I really wasn't. Now just to mention a few from the top of my head, during the first week I have very graciously been called flea, ragdoll, owl, shrimp, fly-face, rucksack, squirt, sprout, monday-measure, featherpillow (or just "feathers"), four-eyes, broomstick, oculus monster and anthead, but my personal favourite so far is Opticus Prime. Haha. No, I actually laughed at that one. It was unique.

Several nerve wrecks later I took the liberty of asking the principal during a teachers conference (more as a joke) if it was okay to fail the entire class 2A if they refused to comply to obligations and surprisingly, Xemnas said that if that's what's required to make them behave then I have his permission to do so. This is how I've been threatening them ever since, and it's working somewhat so far because at least it seems like no-one wants to repeat class. Besides, I don't possess any intimidating physical strength or a strong, sassy nature like the other teachers so I'm a little short on options.

And of course as a teacher my duty is to know my students at least by name, but my class has proven to me that it's essential I know absolutely everything about everyone in it to stop as many outrages as possible.

This became quite clear to me already during the first homeroom when every single student, even the girls, claimed their name was something utterly obscene. I'm not exactly sure but I think it was along the lines of "Mansex the Superior of the in-between" or something... I have no idea why they would do that, but if their objective was to fool me or prevent me from being able to recognize them in the future they are in for a horrible shock. There is something called a photographic recognition list, plus I have an exceptionally good memory.

The other day I found some class journals from last year written by Vexen where he had slipped a class photograph with each pupil's name written on the backside along with some confiscated notes that probably were passed around the class in secret among the students. It amuses me to think about how he got them and what his reaction was because most of the notes had writing and drawings of something hilar- I mean, not nice about him.

After looking each journal through, I think I managed to get a pretty solid picture of what kind of teenagers I'm dealing with and in what kind of pinch Vexen was with them. However, there's a few things that are different now that they've moved up a class. For example, there's this one student repeating whom I heard Axel had failed last year, so he was transferred to my class. His name is Seifer Broncox and he's kind of the main reason to the class's rude behavior these days. He's known to threaten people physically and uses his strong build to make smaller students do his homework, in other words he's the classic type of a bully. Even if class 2A was already bad to begin with I still can't imagine it being as bad as it's now with Seifer as the "leader."

Despite the fact that the whole class is being led by Seifer, he also seems to have his own gang of five strictly chosen people namely from class 2A. Of those five people, Seifer has two henchmen that he places most of his trust in, and he's rarely seen anywhere without them. One of them is Rai, a big and stupid gorilla-man who likes to end his every sentence with 'You know!?' and the other one is a scrawny-looking girl who only speaks in one-word sentences. Even if she doesn't talk much, Rai seems to be highly intimidated by her for some reason, which I find a bit ironic.

Then we have the Lazul twins who seem to be the ones going through with all the mischief, sometimes even starting them, all on Seifer's orders of course. Not that they're being forced in any way; in fact, they seem to enjoy being annoying little shits even though I threaten them almost every day with detentions and extra lessons. The older of the twins is Vanitas, a seemingly emo-ish gloomer who's never happy unless someone else is unhappy. The younger twin, Sora, who also is the more stupid of the two brothers always wears a huge, moronic smile on his face and doesn't really seem to fully understand just what kind of trouble his brother and Seifer are putting him in. Which is pitiful. Vanitas also seems to have some sort of brother complex towards Sora which everyone else seems to know about seeing as it's rather obvious, but nobody dares to point it out to him. No wonder though; if looks could kill, Vanitas would probably be a mass murderer by now.

Oh, and let's not forget the vicious vixen Kairi Lazul who's almost the scariest out of the whole group of pests. Why? Because she's smart in a very unpleasant way which she uses to her advantage to manipulate everyone else into doing what she wants. And no she's not the sister, but a cousin of Vanitas and Sora, and she seems to have a lifelong crush on Sora, or that's what Vexen wrote in his journal as a "blackmailing factor." Man, the guy must've been desperate... To be honest, I actually had noticed Kairi's completely one-sided crush through hers and Vanitas's constant wars over Sora's attention, but Sora is a natural airhead so I doubt he knows about it or anything else that's going on around him. Besides, isn't love between cousins considered as incest these days?

Oh well. The rest of the class is manageable, but there isn't a single good student in it so I'm left with little to no hopes of a brighter future. Not for me or the class.

I sigh as I put the journals back in one of the drawers in my desk, after which I proceed to massage my temples like some burned-out, middle-aged businessman. The fact that I'll most likely suffer the same fate as Vexen stings behind my eyelids, but I'm too proud to let it become reality. No, everyone can be damn sure that I won't be defeated by some snot-nosed rich kids who don't even know what the first three digits of Pi are.

Checking the time I realize I have to start my last lesson for today in about ten minutes. I quickly look through my schedule and to my uttermost relief it looks like I'm teaching trigonometry to class 3A.

I really hope Axel's happy he got such a dream class because I'd switch places with him ANYTIME. Nobody in class 3A is noisy, they don't fiddle with their phones and they never do anything besides the exercises I give them. They're all pretty good students too, or at least everyone's trying their best. I'd say they're the elite class of the whole school, which my class is the complete opposite of.

After letting out what feels like the billionth sigh of today, I pack my things and start leaving for the math class. On my way to the door I also pick up my glasses that I immediately put on. However when I open the door I'm knocked back inside by someone who nearly walked right through me. I fall on my butt and the person I collided with falls down beside the door dropping all his papers in the process. I guarded my glasses by reflex so that they wouldn't drop, but as a result I didn't make the landing any less painful for myself.

I look up a bit disorganized at the person sitting by the door and see Saïx holding his forehead in pain. He probably collided not only with me but the door too seeing as he's much taller than me. I start collecting his papers as I apologize.

"I'm so sorry Saïx, did you hurt yourself?" I ask while handing him his papers which he takes immediately and hurriedly collects the remaining scattered ones.

"Don't apologize. It was me who wasn't watching where I was going. Now, if you'll excuse me." He rambles as he gets up and starts walking with rapid steps towards the principal's office. I stare at the door to the principal's office for a while even after Saïx disappears through it, but eventually I start walking towards the classroom I'm supposed to be in soon.

To tell the truth, Saïx had been acting really weird this past week and the last. It's almost like someone had hit an off-button on him or something; he wasn't as nitpicky and precise with everyone and everything and he was often found dozing off in his office. He has also started colliding with doors, walls and people. But the weirdest part of his behaviour is (at least in my opinion) his random blushing. Why is it weird? Because one: Saïx doesn't blush and two: Saïx just doesn't blush. Or when he does, it's really creepy and unsettling. It may sound harsh but usually when a guy who's constantly wearing a deep frown and looks like he wants to murder everyone suddenly starts blushing like a young maiden in love... well something's gotta be very wrong at that point.

I have this feeling that it's got something to do with the love letter me and Axel wrote two weeks ago, or at least it's the only possibility that I can think of. Demyx and Xigbar only laughed at me when I asked them if they had noticed it a few days ago. They claimed that it's not the first time Saïx has acted like that and that I should just leave him alone. They also told me that rumors of Saïx and the principal having an affair have been going around the school for as long as the building's been standing, not only among the teachers but the pupils too. Then I finally understood the whole humorous point of writing the love letter to the principal namely from Saïx, and Axel's level of creepiness rose a few miles further through the ceiling in my books.

After that I more or less let the whole thing be, but after colliding with Saïx it just came back to me. Well whatever... I think that it's for the best if I don't know everything that goes down inside the walls of this school, not that I'd even want to.

As I think those last thoughts, I notice that I've somehow managed to drag myself to the front of the math class and...

I stop in my tracks as I see someone standing in front of the math class peeking inside, looking as suspicious as someone possibly could.

Slowly tiptoeing closer I immediately recognize the spiky-haired brunette as one of the Lazul twins. What's Sora doing here? Didn't his school day end an hour ago? Then why is he here? And why is he stalking through the doorway?

I clear my throat and he flinches and lets out a frightened wince.

"What are you still doing here, Sora? I dare say that you're not here to do any studying," I say sternly as he turns around and nervously starts scratching the back of his head. Now that I look at him closely, I notice his face is almost an unnatural shade of deep red. Don't tell me that whatever Saïx's having is contagious...

"H-hello there anthea- I- I mean Mr. Strife, didn't see you there... hehehe..."

I feel a vein twitch at his slip but I let it be as I further question him.

"Where's your brother? I rarely see either of you without the other..."

I look around but see nobody else in the corridor we're in and Sora starts slowly walking towards the exits without turning his back to me.

"H-he's probably at home by now... I f-forgot something and went to look for it but I'm all good now and well uhm... I gotta go now, bye!"

Sora rambles hurriedly and I just stare at him as he runs across the corridor and disappears through a pair of glass doors leading towards the main exit. Seriously, I hope he wasn't on another mission of mischief given by Seifer or Vanitas.

Checking the math class's doorway for any possible traps like water buckets or wet sponges I enter and see class 3A already seated with their math books open.

"Hey sorry if I'm late, did you have to wait long?" I apologize looking at the time and notice I'm only a few minutes late. I hear a few say "Naah" and "Not at all" and I start my lesson.

My lessons have a very systematic flow that I decided was the best way to teach because it was the most effective way. I usually begin with checking everyone's homework. Not that I'd doubt everyone's been doing them, but because correcting mistakes that could occur during independent studying is an important part of the course. When that's done I start talking about something new or then I rehearse what we went through last time. After that I let them solve problems from their exercise books.

As I expected, this lesson goes by very quickly and painlessly compared to the other lessons today with other classes. After ordering the pupils to spend the rest of the lesson to do the exercises in the book I decide to sit down by my own desk in the front and pretend I'm doing something important when I'm actually doing a shopping list. I'm having Naminé, Olette and Hayner over on Sunday so I have to be a good host and prepare dinner for them.

When I sit down I feel a sharp pain in my backside and remember I actually hurt myself when I fell on it before the lesson. I try to sit as lightly as possible as I start making the list.

Let's see... What would be fitting for my budget and fairly delicious at the same time? Well at least nothing with onions cause Hayner hates them. Olette is allergic to nuts, tomatoes and curry if I remember correctly, Naminé however is fine with anything that is called "food". I'm not too fond of sea food myself... Oh! I should buy ginger ale for Hayner, it's his favourite. And ice cream is a dessert that works for everyone...

"Excuse me, Mr. Strife?"

I look up mid-sentence writing down the ginger ale and the ice cream and see one of the students raising his hand.

"Yes, what is it Riku?"

"I'm done with the exercises, what should I do now?"

"You're _done_ already? At this rate I won't have any homework for you." I say a bit jokingly as I get up and walk to him to check his work for mistakes and he just snorts with a calm but humored smile. As usual, I find no mistakes whatsoever.

Riku Falter is the best student in the class and I'd even bet my head on that he's also the top student in the whole school. Maybe the whole town even. He's not only good at math, I hear he's also the top student in all the other subjects, except for art. He's also good-looking and tall.

To be honest I'm a little envious, then again who wouldn't be. Riku's got pretty much everything I always wanted, what almost _everyone_ would want. He has the brains and the looks, and he's strong. Both physically and mentally. Speaking of strength, I heard he's the only one who's ever stood up to Seifer too. It's said that they often clashed with eachother in various fights, physical and verbal, but Seifer always drew the short straw.

Anyway, a little annoyed I tell Riku to read further in the theory book as I walk to the next waving student and help with a problem. The rest of the lesson I decide to go around helping the other students, not liking the idea of sitting on my hurt butt any more than necessary.

When the bell finally rings and every student starts leaving I also gather my things and wait until the class empties. Locking the door after the last student I start walking towards the main exit in the same direction where Sora ran off to earlier. Then I remember that before I go home I need to get some papers from my office that have to be looked over due Monday. I was planning on getting them done over the weekend.

I take a detour back to the common hall and as I enter I hear two... no, three voices coming from the direction of my office. I walk a bit closer and come to an abrupt stop as I recognize one of the voices belonging to none other than Axel. Now, he's the absolute last person I wanna see right now and even if I say so myself, I've been doing a great job avoiding him these past two weeks, so as a first reaction I start walking away immediately. To hell with the papers, I'll just come earlier on Monday and do them then.

But then I hear someone mention my name and I hesitate. I look down the hallway towards the voices and when I hear my name spoken again my curiosity gets the better of me as I find myself slowly creeping towards the voices. As I get closer I realize the voices are coming from Axel's office and that the other two voices belong to Demyx and Xigbar, which I'm not too surprised about since those three seem to like to hang out together. Xigbar once claimed that he's only keeping an eye on the "bluntest knives in the kitchen" though, but I still think he's more entertained in their company than the other teachers. Besides, some of the other teachers have really unsettling personalities and some like to keep to themselves a lot so out of everyone Axel, Demyx and Xigbar are definitely the most humane individuals.

I carefully tiptoe as close to the open door of Axel's office as I can and try listening to what the trio inside is talking about. I know it's very rude to eavesdrop on people like this, but my opinion is that I have every right to listen to a conversation that has something to do with me. I lean on the wall beside the doorway and listen.

"Well if you ask me, it's not all _that_ surprising Roxas's not exactly in the mood to see you let alone talk with you..." I hear Xigbar's sarcastic comment which confirms my suspicions that they're indeed talking about me.

"I mean, if I were just a little whipper snapper like him myself, I'd also be fairly terrified if a scarecrow-like weirdo double my own size suddenly came and put me in a closet with him for an hour on the first day of my job."

Note to self: Remember to hit Xigbar with something hard on the head later without telling him why.

"You don't have to spell it out to me! I know what I've done." I hear Axel retorting with a whine.

"Yeah, you practically raped him." I hear someone facepalm (probably Xigbar) as Demyx makes a comment with a tone that sounds way too innocent and plain for the phrase.

"Shut up when the adults are talking Demyx."

"I'm an adult, stupid Xigbar!"

"Yeah, yeah sure. Here, have this lollipop and be quiet."

I hear a 'plop' sound indicating that Demyx got his mouth temporarily stuffed with most likely the lollipop and to my slight surprise he really stays quiet as Axel continues.

"Look, I really wanna talk and apologize to him properly, but seeing as he doesn't even want to be in the same room as me it's not gonna be an easy task."

"No definietly not. The guy seems to be a natural at bearing grudges, and he's probably got a traumatic past filled with bullies which is why he decides to immediately distance himself from anyone who comes too close his personal bubble. You can see it just by looking at him."

A sharp pain runs through me like an electric shock as I hear Xigbar talking about me like he's known me my whole life when, in reality he has known me for roughly two weeks. I knew he was smart, but his observation skills are something out of this world!

"But that's just the thing! I know he's really an interesting person cause I've talked to him! He's really funny and actually opens up a little after you've talked to him for a while, he can even pull off jokes!"

I feel something weird swell inside my chest as I listen to Axel eagerly talk about when we first had a normal conversation. I remember it feeling almost like we were friends, which was weird for me since I never had any guy friends in my whole life. I guess I forgot all about it when I got angry at him.

Slowly I start realizing that maybe... just _maybe _I might be acting a little bit childishly.

"Whoa there, don't tell me you've got the hots for the little guy?"

I freeze.

"Oh come on Xigbar, you know I'm better than that. Just because I'm gay doesn't mean I want to jump everything with a penis."

I double freeze.

"Well, you never know. He seems to be your type after all. He's blonde, small and probably has a cute face beneath those bangs and glasses."

I hear Axel and Xigbar getting into a quarrel about the whole topic and I forget for a moment that I was supposed to eavesdrop on them.

Really now. Axel's actually gay? And... I'm... his t-type?!

The shock of all these revelations make my legs shake and by accident I hit my left heel in the wall that causes a regrettably loud thud noise.

Everyone in the office goes eerily quiet and not even a second has time to pass until Axel has rushed out of the room, immediately spotting me. He looks at me with big, horrified eyes, which are probably very close to the size of my own staring ones.

"R-Roxas...? How long have you...? He starts but doesn't get the chance to finish as I bolt off in the opposite direction.

"Roxas! Wait! We have to talk!" I look back and notice to my uttermost horror that he set off chasing me.

Without thinking I throw my satchel in a panic aiming at his feet that he luckily stumbles over. I hear him cursing in pain and Xigbar and Demyx joining in the hassle. But I never look back as I run as fast as I can out of the building, throw myself inside my car and drive home without obeying any of the speed limits on the way.


End file.
